<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0EBHTe_1GxHF7LL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0EBHTe_1GxHF7LL00" width="1763" height="1175" ><figcaption>Tompkins County's Code Blue shelter is on 227 Cherry Street in the City of Ithaca.&nbsp; Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times</figcaption></figure>The Tompkins County Code Blue shelter at 227 Cherry Street in Ithaca will reopen its 24-hour services at 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 for the 2026-27 winter season. The county Code Blue shelter continues to be operated by Volunteers of America Upstate New York (VOA). The shelter will provide overnight shelter, a daytime warming center, on-site case management, 24/7 staffing, food, showers, laundry and transportation throughout the Code Blue season, which ends April 15, 2027. Code Blue is activated when temperatures are projected to fall below 32 degrees. Before Nov. 15 and after April 15, the Tompkins County Department of Social Services (DSS) will place those seeking shelter in hotels during qualifying Code Blue weather.Individuals who are seeking emergency shelter can go to DSS at 320 West State Street in Ithaca or call 607-274-5030 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If assistance is needed after hours, on weekends or on holidays, individuals can call nonemergency dispatch at 607-272-2444 to be connected with DSS on-call staff. In a press release notifying the community of the shelter’s opening, Commissioner of Social Services Brittanie Earle said DSS has worked collaboratively with VOA to preserve core services despite a 58% decrease in state funding for Code Blue services.“Our priority is making sure people have a warm place to stay and access to support during the winter,” Earle said.The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance reduced the county’s annual Code Blue allocation from $2 million to $841,000. According to the press release, the state is adjusting allocations statewide based on historical spending. County leadership said Earle and the New York Public Welfare Association have submitted inquiries to the state but have not yet received any further explanation from OTDA about how the reduced allocation was determined. “Tompkins County’s Code Blue expenditures have substantially exceeded the new $841,000 allocation since 2018, apart from the COVID period,” county leadership said. “It therefore remains unclear how the state used historical spending to arrive at this amount.”The state’s decision to readjust Code Blue allocations comes only a few years after the state changed the Code Blue funding approach in 2023 from reimbursement of eligible expenses to a capped allocation model. Beginning in 2023, Tompkins County received an annual allocation of $2 million, which the county has attributed to the loss of its previous shelter provider and the start-up costs associated with establishing a new Code Blue site at Cherry Street.While no Code Blue funding was allocated in the county budget for 2027, county leadership told the Ithaca Times that further discussion with the county legislature could be required if there are additional operational needs throughout the season.The total cost of the 2025–26 Code Blue program was $2,020,393, including approximately $211,000 in start-up expenses with the establishment of the Cherry Street location. Last year, the Cherry Street shelter typically served 50 to 60 people per night, compared with 20 to 40 people at the former North Tioga Street location during the 2024-25 season. Beyond the increase in need, operational costs have also changed since the Cherry Street shelter has 24/7 services where the former shelter did not.The county said VOA’s annual contract is based on the state allocation, so the DSS and VOA made budget adjustments to reflect the available funding in the 2026-27 contract. Part of this adjustment means that VOA will rely more heavily on community donations for food, water, bus passes and other supplies.“In response to the updated funding allocation, DSS and VOA are working collaboratively to align staffing and operational resources to provide a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for individuals seeking shelter during extreme winter weather,” county leadership said. “Throughout the Code Blue season, DSS and VOA will maintain close communication, regularly assess shelter operations and staffing needs, and make adjustments as appropriate to support the safety and well-being of shelter guests.”</div></body>

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The Tompkins County Code Blue shelter at 227 Cherry Street in Ithaca will reopen its 24-hour services at 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 for the 2026-27 winter season. The county Code Blue shelter continues to be operated by Volunteers of America Upstate New York (VOA). The shelter will provide overnight shelter, a daytime warming center, on-site case management, 24/7 staffing, food, showers, laundry and transportation throughout the Code Blue season, which ends April 15, 2027.

County Code Blue Shelter Preserves Core Services Despite Significant Decrease in State Funding

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The Tompkins County Code Blue shelter at 227 Cherry Street in Ithaca will reopen its 24-hour services at 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 for the 2026-27 winter season. T

County Code Blue Shelter Preserves Core Services Despite Significant Decrease in State Funding

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